Guide to Ground Engaging Tools

You need quality ground engaging tools (GETs) to handle your toughest material handling tasks. GETs are the heavy equipment components that make contact with the ground, and they are a vital part of many applications. These attachments are specifically designed to handle materials during earthmoving tasks, cutting through the toughest surfaces. Choosing the right type of GET for each project can help you boost productivity, efficiency and cost savings. 

Why Are GETs Important?

A GET stands between your equipment and the earth or materials you handle. GETs offer the following advantages.

Power

Ground engaging tools significantly enhance a machine’s penetrating power. Manufacturers build them with rugged metal materials, enabling equipment to strike the ground and rigid materials like stone with tremendous penetrating power and force. Many machine operators select GETs to handle their toughest jobs.

Machine Protection and Longevity

A GET protects equipment from excessive wear, helping to extend its longevity. This type of attachment absorbs impact when it makes contact with the ground, which protects the machine’s internal components from excessive force. GETs also resist abrasion and corrosion, contributing to their durability and long lifespans.

Greater Uptime and Productivity

Fitting your equipment with the right GET helps machines operate properly and handle your toughest tasks. This increases overall efficiency by reducing machine downtime and increasing productivity. A quality GET helps your team make the most of their time and meet deadlines, resulting in happier clients and more revenue for your company.

Decreased Costs

You can expect fewer repair costs when you use the right GETs on equipment. Their durability enables them to handle tough materials, and their impact absorption results in fewer internal parts replacements.

Increased Versatility 

GETs are highly versatile. You can select different tips and edges to support specific projects, and you can change attachments as many times as you need. A GET is easily removable, which saves time between tasks and helps you complete jobs faster.

Common Applications of GETs

GETs are incredibly useful in the following applications:

• Excavation
• Leveling and grading
• Road construction
• Foundation preparation
• Mining
• Agricultural soil preparation
• Agricultural irrigation work
• Land clearing

Types of Ground Engaging Tools

The following types of ground engaging tools offer different advantages and serve various purposes:

• Buckets: Buckets dig, scoop and transport materials like gravel, sand and dirt. They are excellent options for excavation projects, and they enable you to load materials into vehicles.
• Blades: Blades push materials, clear surfaces and grade land. They are vital in preparing land for building or landscaping, and they come in different sizes and configurations to meet different needs.
• Cutting edges: Flat or curved cutting edges offer unique grading and scraping abilities. They come in various shapes, widths and thicknesses to meet specific needs. Flat cutting edges reduce ground impact, while curved cutting edges increase soil penetration. Cutting edges can also increase a blade or bucket’s durability.
• Bucket teeth: Bucket teeth, also known as tips, enhance the strength of excavator buckets and wheel loaders. Bucket teeth also absorb shocks to prevent equipment damage.
• Rippers: Rippers shred ground materials efficiently while protecting the equipment’s body. Operators often use them on bulldozers and scrapers.
• Adapters: Adapters enable equipment to dig at various levels. You can attach an adapter to a loader, excavator or scraper to penetrate soil at different depths. An adapter is an excellent option if you need extra force to break the ground.

Choosing the Right GET for Your Application

Choosing ground engaging tools is an important part of planning a project. Optimizing attachments for your application increases efficiency, safety, equipment performance and productivity. Consider the following factors to choose the right tool for your next job:

• The nature of your application: Will you be grading, digging or loading? 
• Material type: Attachments with standard teeth are great for clay, soil and other soft materials. However, you need a stronger GET to handle harder materials like rock.
• Machine size and maneuverability: Smaller machines require compact, lighter attachments to prevent tipping or equipment strain. Larger machines can handle heavier tools, but you should still check the equipment’s weight capacity before choosing an attachment. It’s also essential to factor material weight into the total weight to ensure your equipment can handle the attachment and the loads it handles.
• Durability: Different attachment brands and models offer various levels of durability. Choose a GET that can withstand high impact and abrasion to reduce wear and extend the tool’s lifespan.

Ground Engaging Tool Tips

Proper care helps you get the most out of your GETs and extend their longevity. Use the following tips to protect your tools and equipment.

1. Prioritize Inspection and Preventive Maintenance

Preventive maintenance is important for all equipment and attachments because it helps you maintain superior performance. Regular inspection and maintenance help you address minor complications before they become significant, reducing long-term costs. The following factors can help your GETs and equipment operate smoothly and last longer:

• Bucket positioner configuration: Reconfiguring a piece of equipment’s bucket positioner is the most important step when swapping GETs. You must also perform a connection test before using an attachment to ensure it’s secure and ready for operation.
• Bucket tip use rotation: Rotating attachment tips can help your GETs last longer. Use different tips for different tasks to reduce wear. Corner bucket tips can wear faster than center tips, so it’s helpful to periodically swap both types out.
• Welding crack repair: A GET’s welding can crack, and immediate repair is essential. Repairing cracks quickly helps prevent further damage so your tool and equipment last longer.
• Maintenance logs: Keep regular maintenance records to ensure you schedule preventive maintenance when necessary.

2. Replace GETs When Necessary

You should replace a GET if you notice any of the following signs:

• Significant damage, such as large cracks or damaged bucket tips or edges
• Excessive or uneven wear
• Poor performance

Advantages of Cat® Ground Engaging Tools

While choosing the right type of GETs for your equipment is important, it’s also vital to choose the right brand. Caterpillar provides some of the industry’s best ground engaging tools, delivering performance and longevity you can depend on. Cat® GETs provide excellent durability and power for your most demanding projects.

Caterpillar uses a specialized steel alloy to build attachments, helping GETs handle excessive pressure, heat and abrasion. Cat tools feature various benefits, such as self-sharpening tips, an aggressive angle for outstanding breaking power, and shank protectors that support longevity.

Find High-Quality Cat Ground Engaging Tools From Gregory Poole

Gregory Poole Equipment Company is a trusted Cat dealer that offers industry-leading ground engaging tools. We carry a wide range of dependable GETs for Cat equipment and mixed fleets, providing you with the robust tools you need to boost efficiency. Contact us to learn more about our selection of GETs and how our experts can help you find the perfect solution for each job.